PERU Day 4: Biking from 14,000 feet down to 4000 feet in 5 hours
This was day one of our 4 day Inca Jungle Tour to Machu Picchu. These four days have been the absolute highlight of our trip!
We started by taking the curvy, hairpin and hairstanding road up to the 14,000 foot peak of Abra Malaga. As we winded through green steep countryside and deep valleys on both sides, we passed small remote villages accessible only by foot. Village children would run out to the road to watch us pass. Alpacas, mountain goats, and sheep added to this picturesque scene around every corner!
Trying not to be car-sick was a feat in itself, but I captured this video of an incredible section of the drive: http://vimeo.com/17801871
Once we got to 14,000 foot peak Abra Malaga, the climate completely changed to cold, foggy alpine frigidness!! We could actually see our breath! It was here we were dumped with our downhills bikes to start our 5-hour descent to the backside of the Andes into the jungle. So we started our drive at dry highland valleys, started our descent on the top of a mountain, and only about 30 miles as the crow flies we are in a moist and humid jungle. Yes, the climate and setting changes that quick. It’s amazing.
On the dry highland side of the mountain pass Abra Malaga, in the Sacred Valley before our ascent to 14,000 feet.
At 14,000 feet in the fog and cold! We start our 10,000 foot descent here.
Small villages and homestead along our ride.
Sheep, goats, llamas, and alpacas cruise the mountain road.
Waterfalls on every corner.
The jungle valley below via the twisty, hairpin road. We rode the bikes down as far as you can see into that most distance mountain range!!
